This invention generally relates to citrus-originating products and processes for making them. More particularly, the invention separates a citrus juice source into a permeate liquid and a retentate containing virtually all of the pulp present in the citrus juice source. This pulp retentate is subjected to diafiltration, which reduces levels of bitterants such as naringin and limonin within the pulpy material, and the diafiltration retentate is processed as or into useful pulp products and/or clouding agents which have blandness characteristics as desired.
Citrus fruits have long been recognized as valuable sources of important nutrients. More recently, health benefits and disease retarding or treating benefits of citrus sources have come to be more fully recognized as advantageous and beneficial when ingested. Accordingly, there is a general belief that increasing the intake of citrus-originating foods is a beneficial and important objective in the overall scheme of human health.
Segments of the population are less than enthusiastic about certain characteristics of citrus products, such as bitterness, acidity, and a thick consistency. Concerns about these types of characteristics are perhaps most prevalent when the citrus product or ingredient is grapefruit originating. Other citrus fruits can present these types of concerns, including orange, tangerine and lemon fruits. In terms of volume of juice and percentage of dislike in the juice-consuming population, grapefruit products and non-traditional orange-originating products present both the greatest challenge and the most promising potential. Heretofore, these resources have been underutilized due to these types of characteristics of grapefruit sources and non-traditional other citrus sources, which characteristics can be considered objectionable to certain segments of the population.
Numerous approaches have been taken in the past which incorporate various filtration and ion exchange technology in order to operate upon citrus juice sources with a view toward preparing a variety of different products and byproducts. These approaches typically do not substantially change the characteristics of or operate on pulp components. It has long been known that citrus pulp can be separated from citrus juice. Often, this involves removing pulp so as to provide a so-called clarified juice. In those instances, the separated pulp is discarded, used in low-value products such as animal feed, or is stored for reintroduction of some of it into juice products which are formulated to have high pulp contents.
It will thus be seen that, in many instances, citrus fruit pulp is not used in a high value manner. For this reason and others, citrus fruits are not used to their full potential, and many valuable nutrients are not put to use in a manner which directly benefits people. This is particularly true for separated components which include the citrus pulp. There is accordingly a need for approaches which allow a more complete realization of the potential of citrus fruits, and especially of grapefruit sources and other currently under utilized citrus sources.
Also needed is a natural source of bland clouding agent or pulp for use in juice products and other potential uses. Fulfilling these needs with citrus sources would allow for pulp products and clouding agents which are more nutritious than in the past and which are particularly economical.
In accordance with the present invention, citrus fruit sources are processed into pulp products which are relatively low in bitterness attributes, and which can be of reduced acidity as desired. These products include a bland clouding agent or source of bland pulp. Each of these products is entirely natural. The nutrients present in the citrus fruit source are effectively recovered in one or more of the products. Included is diafiltration of a pulp-rich retentate from filtration of a citrus juice supply or concentrated citrus juice supply. Bitterant reduction results. Pulpy retentate from the diafiltration is especially bland and can be further processed such as to reduce moisture levels.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide improved citrus juice products and processes which are and/or incorporate bland pulp components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved citrus fruit processing and products which improve the overall yield of citrus fruit sources.
Another object of this invention is to provide improved citrus juice pulp products which are incorporated into food and beverage products without adding undesirable bitterness flavor notes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bland pulp or clouding agent which is a retentate from a citrus pulp source and processes for preparing and using same.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from and clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.